Fountain of Joy
by burninganchors
Summary: OLD STORY. Behind that grim facade lurks a fountain of joy. And only once the song has been released can his own be unveiled.
1. Cadvan and Maerad POV

_**MAJOR SINGING SPOILERS! **_

**_MAJOR SINGING SPOILERS!_**

**_MAJOR SINGING SPOILERS!_**

**If you've read The Singing, continue. If you have not, DON'T YOU DARE!**

**_MAJOR SINGING SPOILERS!_**

**_MAJOR SINGING SPOILERS!_**

**_MAJOR SINGING SPOILERS!_**

**If you're still reading, I assume you've read The Singing, Final Book of Pellinor.**

**_MAJOR SINGING SPOILERS!_**

**_MAJOR SINGING SPOILERS!_**

**_MAJOR SINGING SPOILERS!_**

**Disclaimer: It is not mine, all belongs to Alison Croggon, the lovely writer of the lovely Pellinor series, which also includes the final book entitled The Singing, of which major events are spoiled in this fanfic.**

_**Okay, I wrote this to deal with writer's block, and I just had to write it anyway. My fingers were itching to type it up. I'm sorry for those of you who can't read it because you haven't read The Singing, but know that it'll be waiting when you do. Of course, you shouldn't even be reading this if you haven't read The Singing, so I don't know why I'm saying it, but I must...**_

_**Anyway, enjoy!**_

_And the Song never stopped: released at last into its own music, it played on through all the depths and heights and breadths of the wide and vivid world, following its own desires beyond the reaches of the human heart, forever wild, forever whole, forever free._

_**-- The Singing, page 419, by Alison Croggon**_

Cadvan watched in awe as the music finally faded, but in all reality, it did not fade, and he heard it throughout every part of his being. The Song went on and on and on, playing beautifully, wonderfully, throughout the world. It made him want to forever be singing, forever take part in this beautiful music. His eyes were filled with tears as he looked towards Maerad, who stood, lyre forgotten in her hand. He watched, her, wanting to run to her, but he seemed paralyzed with the intense beauty of the scene that had just occured, and could do naught but watch her, hoping she too felt his joy.

_She did it. Maerad did it. And she's still alive._

_By the Light, she's alive!_

He wanted to kiss her, he wanted to hold her, he wanted to cry with her about all he had seen, all she had done. But it was too wonderful for words. He lurched forwards on unsteady feet, but then his heart went still in shock as Maerad dropped her lyre and clutched at her body, as if she were holding herself together. And then she fell limply to the ground, and Cadvan stopped in horror. Had he thought too soon? Was she...dead?

_No, no, she can't be...not my Maerad...and I never...I never..._

He saw, as if in a daze, Hem running forwards and shaking her fervently, tears coursing down his face, and he knew it to be true. Maerad was gone. He fell to his knees, and barely felt Saliman and Hekibel putting their trembling hands on his shoulders in fear and disbelief. He couldn't feel through his agony, couldn't think anything except, _Not her...anyone but her... _

He covered his face with his hands and wept, tears spilling form his eyes like the water that crashes down from the rocks, a waterfall. But his was a waterfall of grief, which flowed only when the heart was cut to its deepest point with the sharpest knife. A waterfall of blood. Time was nothing, space didn't matter, nothing was as it was, until he almost inperceptibly felt Saliman's hand tighten on his shoulder, and then heard his gasp.

"Cadvan..." he heard him breathe in amazement, but Cadvan did not look up, so trapped was he in the fog of pain.

"Cadvan. Maerad...she's alive," he whispered, and those three words were all it took for Cadvan to look up, a fierce hope taking hold of him and forcing his head up to look wildly for her form.

But the hope was right. She was there, stirring, and then looking at Hem. And then brother and sister were embracing, sobbing happily into one another's arms as the song flowed about them all, wild and whole and free.

It was a miracle.

It was a dream.

And it was so _real._

Cadvan scrambled to his feet, almost unable to believe it. He wouldn't have if he weren't seeing it through his eyes. But he was, and he believed it, and he knew he had never felt such gladness.

"Maerad!" he cried out hoarsely as he stumbled forwards and began running to her, Saliman and Hekibel close behind, who were shouting joyfully as well. But he was barely aware of their presence as his long legs took him closer to her, his face shining, despite tear streaks, with joy. "Maerad!" he called again and again and again, so happy to say her name, and know it was something so filled with life.

_If she were dead..._he couldn't imagine it. All the things he had never said, or done.

But he wouldn't have to think like that now. The thought made him beam with joy and inexpressible happiness, and he drew closer as she drew apart from Hem and smiled, her mouth moving as she said words to her brother that Cadvan couldn't hear. But he didn't care what she said. It was her.

_Oh, Maerad..._

He saw her look up in recognition upon hearing his voice in her mind as he ran the final steps to her, and a brilliant smile lit her face, her eyes shining. And as he took the final steps, he threw out his arms, his relief that she was alive taking control of all other emotion. And then he was with her again as his arms grasped hold of her and picked her up as he spun her around, hearing her gasp of surprise and then her high, ringing peals of laughter. Then he set her on the ground, face bright, the veil of grimness torn aside as he let the fountain of joy burst forth, splashing and chorusing in the Song that trembled through all Edil-Amarandh. A smile of that joy lit his face for a bare moment before he leaned down, his reserve gone, his relief and emotion completely taking control, and her surrendered to the feelings.

And then Cadvan of Lirigon kissed her.

Again.

And again.

And again.

He couldn't get enough of her, and his lips were all over her face, leaving gentle, sweet moisture wherever they touched. He kissed with his beautiful lips every inch of her face, save her own mouth. Maerad went still in surprise, heart fluttering excitedly, and she realized that her fears of his unreturned love were nothing, and they crumbled into dust. Hekibel had been right; he did love her. And she loved him. She was shimmering with happiness as she let him kiss her again and again, before she finally stopped him by throwing her thin arms about his strong neck, and moving her face up to his as their lips finally met in a passionate kiss, and nothing had needed to be said when they broke apart at last, and they only smiled and wept tears of joy before turning back to their friends, knowing at last that victory was theirs, and in more ways than one.

Maerad and Cadvan had never been so purely happy.


	2. Hem POV

**_MAJOR SINGING SPOILERS..._**AND ALL THAT JAZZ.

**I assume I don't have to go over it again?**

**This chappie is from Hem's POV. Or most of it, anyway...**

**Disclaimer lives on from last chapter.**

**Enjoy!**

_And the Song never stopped: released at last into its own music, it played on through all the depths and heights and breadths of the wide and vivid world, following its own desires beyond the reaches of the human heart, forever wild, forever whole, forever free._

_**-- The Singing, page 419, by Alison Croggon**_

Hem ran to Maerad, tears streaming down his face. Her limp body lay upon the stones, and the scream she had uttered was horrible, terrifying; an exclamation of the deepest agony and loss. But Hem felt no loss in the restoring of the Treesong, and her sudden scream made him think twice about what they had done. But he still felt nothing, only joy at having his work finally complete. But then Maerad had gone still, so still, and he had run to her. But she did not stir, no matter how hard he shook her.

He grasped her shoulders again, shaking her almost violently, sobbing in passionate grief. She was dead. He knew it to be horribly, agonizingly true. He flung his arms about her, shoulders trembling as he uttered wordless cries of agony. She was gone. Maerad, the only light in his world, the one he had longed to see again for an entire year, and perhaps all the long years before that. Gone. Forever. It didn't seem possible.

His tears flew onto her cheeks with frightening rapidity, and he felt that surely he would cry a river if he didn't stop, but he didn't feel he could. He loved her. Loved her more than he believed was possible to love someone. Just like Zelika. And just like Zelika, she was gone. Dead. _Dead._

He let his grief consume him as if it were a hungry beast, and he had no other feelings except sadness to the very marrow of his bones.

But suddenly, something happened, something changed. It was like she was...breathing. And as soon as he acknowledged this change, she simply sat up.

Alive.

So very, wonderfully alive.

And then she put her arms around him, and it was the best feeling he had ever known, to simply sit there and feel her holding him again. He smiled through the tears as they held each other close, and he realized that they were the only things that mattered now. There was only each other.

When he finally let her go, she smiled at him, and he grinned back. "You did it," he sniffled, wiping his nose on his sleeve.

"No," Maerad said, and Hem saw her brilliant blue eyes flash giddily, "We did it. All of us. Together."

His smile widened, and he stood up, extending a hand to help her up as well, but then her face went blank, and he stopped in concern only to realize she was speaking with someone in her mind. But it was a very brief look, and she then turned her attention to the man who was running up behind her: Cadvan.

And suddenly all the pieces fell into place as Hem watched Cadvan swoop her up into his arms, picking her up while she laughed delightedly, and he saw that she looked happier than she had ever been. And in her eyes was a tender emotion, so sweet he almost choked. It was a look that made him think of Zelika, and as something finally clicked in his brain, he realized that Cadvan was not simply a mentor to Maerad, nor even a friend. Well, yes, he was a friend, but he was something more to his sister, and that was proven as he watched, slightly green in the face, Cadvan lean down and begin smothering her in kisses.

He stumbled back, a little unprepared. Surely he had noticed it, like on the ride to Afinil, when she had held onto him tightly and closed her eyes in bliss. And when she had fallen from Keru, and she had looked at him so desperately. And the way he sometimes watched her, his face indefinably sad. But he was still taken by surprise, and he felt Saliman's warm hand on his shoulders, comforting in such a time. And then with a thrill he realized Saliman was still alive, too, and he turned around, and saw his warm, charcoal eyes looking down at him.

"A bit surprised, my friend?" asked Saliman, eyebrows raised in amusement.

"Just a bit," Hem replied, before he embraced Saliman, who was now not much taller than he. Saliman welcomed him warmly, and then stood him back, eyes serious.

"You cannot tell me you didn't see it coming though?" asked Hekibel from behind Saliman, pushing her golden locks behind her shoulder.

"Well, not...really," he mumbled, still a bit confused by the Ways of the Heart. "But I'm okay with it," he assured them, and looked back to Maerad and Cadvan before his eyes quickly darted away. _I think. _He smiled hugely though. "I'm just glad we're all alive."

Saliman and Hekibel beamed. "Us too," they said as one, and they all laughed, which startled Maerad and Cadvan, who quickly broke apart, a little flushed as they rejoined their audience. Hem raised his eyebrows at Maerad, and she only winked and hugged him tightly, and then hugged each one of them in turn as well, so glad that she was still able to be with them. She embraced Hekibel last of all, who hugged her tightly and then whispered in her ear, "I told you so."

Maerad laughed, and then looked back to her brother, who looked entirely clueless, and laughed again.

"Well, what about you?" Maerad asked, an eyebrow raised, and Hem saw Hekibel flush slightly, and then quickly look at Saliman.

"We'll see," she said slowly, brushing some invisible pieces of dirt from her skirts, and Saliman took her hand, and she looked up into his eyes and gulped.

"We'll see about what? This?" he asked, before kissing her gently.

Hem gasped and rolled his eyes, comically throwing his head back. "Oh no, not you, too!" he cried, before turning and marching to the horses.

The group laughed, and followed his example, quiet as they pondered their own thoughts.

But Hem, for all his acting, inside was thrilled, and let a small smile flit across his facade. Everything had ended so perfectly. He missed Irc, but he had a feeling he would return. And then, then he would truly rejoice.

But for now, he too, was happier than ever before.

Even with all that gooey love stuff.


End file.
